02. Jul 2025

Riga - Jaunmärupe/Bejas

Photo 1: Leaving Old Town Riga...

Photo 2: Shortly after I crossed the bridge over the Daugava River, a man spoke to me on the street. He wanted to know where I was going with such a big backpack. He himself is a bike rider who likes to take longer tours. I was surprised that a person in Latvia would come up to me like that, but he was from Slovenia. I told him that I had walked through his country last year. We connected. Before he continued on his way to work, I gave him the pilgrim blessing. It was a nice start for the day.

Photo 3: Outpatient... On my way out of Riga I stopped at a hospital to get my stitches taken out of my hand. Everything looks good. My thanks to the many people who have prayed for me. The patient bracelet on my wrist verifies my identity and age.

Photo 4: After I had my stitches taken out, I took a short break to drink a jogurt drink. Sandra had notice my St. James logos on my backpack and hat and was curios. She had recently done a Camino in Portugal. It was not easy afterwards for her to reenter the hectic of everyday living. This is always a challenge after a pilgrimage to take the quiet and the things that you have learned on the path with you in your normal day to day life. As Peter, James and John learned on the Mountain of Transfiguation, there is a time to be filled with the glory of God, and there is a time to take that glory with you in the valley. (You can read about this in Mathew 17:1-21). I prayed for Sandra and encouraged her to be light and salt to her people and country.

Photo 5: Today was the first really hot sunny day on the path (28°C). These poor storks were just sitting in their nest with their beaks open trying to cool off.